Distressed dog found panting in parked car on hot day rescued by passersby who managed to give it some water
A Good Samaritan came to the rescue of a distressed dog trapped inside a vehicle parked outside on the hottest day of the year. The pooch was found panting inside the Mini Cooper by passerby Nigel Pearson who was passing by the residential area in Oakham, Rutland on Friday, May 22.
When he got to the site, Pearson, a volunteer with Leicestershire and Rutland 4x4 response, told Leicestershire Live that the car was already surrounded by a crowd of people. "There were quite a few people hanging around the car, so I went to see what was going on and we saw that there was a dog in the car. The sunroof was open and there was a little gap in the window, but the dog was clearly distressed," he said.
Due to the sunroof being open and the window cracked open a little, one of the people gathered at the site was able to get a bowl of water to the poor canine that helped it cool off as the temperature outside crossed 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The crowd was preparing to smash open the window of the vehicle when Pearson said that he stopped them. "There were people around with hammers ready to smash the window, but I told them not to," he said. "I called an officer I knew, and they came down immediately to deal with the situation."
Pearson added that it was irresponsible of the dog owner to leave the dog inside the vehicle as it could have been stolen, or worse, could have succumbed to the extreme heat outside. Pet owners should be more vigilant about not risking the health of the animals under their care, Pearson said. "We've had so many problems recently with dogs being stolen. It's like leaving a £1,000 ($1,200) phone on the dashboard, thieves will take the dog and ransom you for it. Just don't leave your dog in the car," he said.
He also praised the people of his community for coming to the help of a distressed canine without wasting time. "Big credit goes to all the people in the area, for coming out to help and getting water. When I called the officer, someone had already called 101. There's such great community spirit in Oakham."
A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman said that they had received reports of a distressed dog in a car at around 4:30 pm. It was not immediately known what happened to the dog after authorities responded to the scene. Less than 20 minutes in a hot car can prove fatal to a dog, if its body temperature goes above 105 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Dogs Trust, UK's largest dog welfare charity. Some of the symptoms shown by a dog in distress would be excessively panting, whimpering, and barking. Sweltering heat can cause loss of muscle control and kidney failure in a dog, which in turn leads to brain damage or the heart to cease functioning.
The organization also requested residents to call the police if they come across a distressed dog in a hot car. "Don't leave your dog in a parked car, even for a few minutes – even if it seems cool outside it can become very hot, very quickly. Parking in the shade and/or keeping the windows down does not make it safe," their official advice reads.